Boxing brutal and barbaric, no place in a civilised country

[TonyGosling]

Dr Miriam Stoppard: Boxing is barbaric and dangerous - let's put a stop to it
After looking through the stats, Dr Stoppard says that it would be "socially irresponsible" to allow boxing to continue
https://www.mirror.co.uk/lifestyle/health/dr-miriam-stoppard-boxing-ba rbaric-7598868

By Miriam Stoppard 23:23, 20 MAR 2016

Dr Miriam Stoppard: Let's deliver a knockout blow to barbaric boxing

Dr Stoppard wants to deliver a knockout blow to barbaric boxing

Since Will Smith’s latest film Concussion hit cinemas, brain injuries incurred while playing American football have been ­acknowledged and aired publicly.

Last year saw a movement in the UK to examine head injuries in rugby players and take precautions to prevent them, particularly in schoolboy rugger.

Boxing is also under the cosh and not for the first time.

I must nail my colours to the mast – I’m not a fan and never could be because every blow to the head can result in brain damage.

And although minor at the time, their effect becomes major over time. The results of research confirming this are pouring in from all over the world.

In Victoria, Australia, 907 professional boxing fights among 545 boxers over nearly nine years were analysed.
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It found 214 injuries in 177 fights, giving an injury rate of around 24 every 100 fights.

This rate increased to 61 injuries per 100 fights when knockouts were included, along with fights stopped by the referee, and one death occurred.


The most common injuries were cuts to the head (62%), concussion (12%) and ­fractures (8%).

A Canadian study between 2000 and 2012 found that half of boxing matches (277/550) resulted in injury of some kind with similar rates in amateur boxing, showing the sport is dangerous at all levels.

More concerning are the rare but devastating deaths. Researchers ­identified 120 fatalities globally between 1983 and 2007 resulting from ­professional fights. But, to be honest, it’s the intent to do harm that sticks in my craw.

As a society, we deplore violence yet it’s ­justified in the context of boxing when it would otherwise be considered a crime. Violence is an integral component of the sport.


Mike Tyson said he aimed to punch rivals' nose bones into their brains
Even with the points system, victory is won by blows to the head or by knocking your opponent unconscious.

As Mike Tyson once said: “I try to catch them right on the tip of his nose, because I try to punch the bone into the brain.”

Those in favour of boxing argue that it’s a valid outlet for aggression, especially for disenfranchised young men and boys.

But that argument ignores the personal injuries and costs to the NHS of treating those injuries.

Could boxing be made safer? Well, there’s not much evidence that health and safety could lower the risk of injury. I have always thought, despite the great Muhammad Ali, boxing is barbaric.

So is it socially irresponsible to allow it to continue? In my book, it is.

[outsider]

[quote="TonyGosling"]Dr Miriam Stoppard: Boxing is barbaric and dangerous - let's put a stop to it

I totally agree, but far from banning it, the 'Fiends That Be' are pushing female boxing onto the world.
And the 'General Public' lap it up...like all the other sick practices they are pushing.